Minister: Online scam cases more than double from 35,470 in 2024 to 74,744 in 2025

File photo for illustration purposes only. Photo: Gerd Altmann/Pixabay

By Dayangku Hidayatul

KUCHING, May 22: Malaysia has recorded an alarming 74,744 cases in online scams exceeding RM2.9 billion in 2025—over double the numbers in 2024, which recorded 35,470 cases involving losses of RM1.5 billion.

According to Education Minister Teo Nie Ching, the growing threat of cybercrime shows that stronger public awareness and preventive action are urgently needed as online risks continue to escalate.

“The internet is no longer something unfamiliar in our lives. It has become an important medium for education, work, business, and daily communication, and is now a basic necessity in supporting a safer, more prosperous, and competitive life. Through the internet, students can learn more easily, entrepreneurs can expand their businesses, and communities can connect and access information quickly.

“However, despite these benefits, we are also facing growing cybersecurity threats that continue to impact society,” she said while officiating at the Kuching district-level Safe Internet Campaign (KIS) Carnival 2026 held at Tropics City here today.

Citing statistics from the Royal Malaysia Police’s (PDRM) Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID), Teo said that for the first four months of 2026 alone, 23,367 scam cases have already been recorded, with losses of RM680.3 million.

She said that cyber threats have expanded beyond financial scams, with cyberbullying, harmful content, online gambling and fake news increasingly circulating online.

The Malaysia Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), she added, received 59,290 applications related to cyberbullying and harmful online content from 2022 until April this year, of which 44,676 pieces of content were removed by platforms to protect users’ emotional safety and wellbeing.

On the campaign, which aims to build awareness on safe internet use, Teo said that it was launched in Jan 2025 as one of the key efforts to address these issues, reaching over 1.8 million participants nationwide through over 11,000 programmes as of April 30 this year.

For Sarawak, 114,608 participants from educational institutions under the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) have taken part in the campaign, including 26,616 participants in Kuching and surrounding areas.

She stressed that shared responsibility is key to tackling cyber threats and urged all parties, including parents, educators and community leaders, to play their part in building a safer digital environment.

Teo also advised the public to report cybercrime incidents immediately to the authorities to prevent further harm. — DayakDaily